Hilliards of Canton

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Hilliards of Canton, over in Van Zandt County. Now settle in, because this one's got mules, caskets, and a family that just flat refused to quit. Canton became the seat of Van Zandt County in 1850, chosen for its central location.

And once a place becomes the county seat, it tends to draw people with ambition. George McIntosh Hilliard was one of those people. He came to Texas in the 1870s, made his way to Grand Saline in Van Zandt County, and eventually set his sights on Canton.

In 1896, Hilliard opened a general merchandise store in a rented building south of the courthouse, at 207 South Buffalo Street. He bought out his partners. Then his sons, Samuel Foster Hilliard and George Homer Hilliard, stepped in to help run the place.

By 1913, business had grown enough that Hilliard purchased several more lots around downtown. Now here is where the story gets a little vivid. In 1918, there was a wooden building sitting on one of those newly purchased lots, at 209 South Buffalo.

That building was in the way. So they moved it. With mules.

They moved a whole building with mules, to make room for a modern brick building that Hilliard finished constructing in 1919. And what did they put in that new brick building? Well, the back of it became an undertaking business, with a funeral parlor, an embalming room, and a display area for caskets and funerary supplies.

The front of the store sold farm equipment, hardware, and furniture. You could walk in for a new plow and walk past the caskets on your way out. That is a certain kind of practical that only small-town Texas really understands.

By the 1920s, the store at 207 South Buffalo had expanded into dry goods and seamstress supplies, brought in from Dallas by Homer's wife, Gladys. Then in 1925, Samuel Foster Hilliard reopened the 209 South Buffalo store under his own name, the S.F. Hilliard store, selling hardware, furniture, and funerary supplies.

Two Hilliard stores, side by side, supplying Canton with nearly everything a person could need from first breath to last. The Hilliard furniture and hardware stores have been a visible presence in downtown Canton for more than a hundred years. They stayed open during the population declines of the mid-20th century, when other businesses quietly disappeared.

For many years, they supplied goods and services that were otherwise hard to come by in rural Canton. Some families build a name. The Hilliards built a main street.

What the marker says

The Hilliard family has long been identified with the general trade business in Canton. Founded because of its central location, Canton became the seat of Van Zandt County in 1850. George McIntosh Hilliard came to Texas in the 1870s and migrated to Grand Saline in Van Zandt County. In 1896, Hilliard opened a general merchandise store in a rented building south of the courthouse at 207 S. Buffalo Street. After buying out his partners, his sons, Samuel Foster Hilliard and George Homer Hilliard, began to help operate the store. In 1913, business had grown to the point that Hilliard purchased several more lots around downtown. In 1918, the wooden building that had been at one of the newly purchased lots at 209 S. Buffalo was moved with mules in order to make room for a modern, new brick building that Hilliard finished constructing in 1919. The back of the building was used as an undertaking business, with a funeral parlor, embalming room and a display area for caskets and other funerary supplies. The front of the store sold farm equipment, hardware and furniture. By the 1920s, the store at 207 S. Buffalo carried dry goods and seamstress supplies brought from Dallas by Homer's wife, Gladys. In 1925, Samuel Foster Hilliard reopened the 209 S. Buffalo store as the S.F. Hilliard store and sold hardware, furniture and funerary supplies. The Hilliard furniture and hardware stores have been a visible presence in downtown Canton for more than 100 years. The businesses remained open during population declines in the mid-20th century. For many years, they have supplied goods and services which were otherwise hard to procure in rural Canton.